Salisbury solid axles are often used in passenger trucks and sport utility vehicles. Salisbury axles are unique in the fact that the axle transmits driving torque to the wheel as well as carries and transmits both radial and axial thrust loads.
As shown in FIG. 1, many existing wheel end bearings 10 for use with solid vehicle axles include an outer cup 11 that is press-fit into the corresponding axle tube 12 to maintain location and define an outer raceway for the corresponding rollers 13. No additional retention features are required for this type of wheel end bearing 10 in that the bearing only handles radial loads. Lubrication for wheel end bearing 10 is provided by the same oil sump that provides lubrication to the differential gears 15 (FIG. 2) that are disposed at the center section of the axle assembly. To maintain lubrication, an oil seal 14 is press-fitted outboard of the wheel end bearing in axle tube 12.
Radial wheel end loads are handled primarily at wheel end bearing 10, whereas axial loads are not. Rather, as best seen in FIGS. 2 through 4, axial loads are transmitted along axle shaft 16. Typically, “C Locks” 18 are utilized to resist outward axial loading and a cross shaft 20 disposed between the opposing axle shafts in a housing 25 of differential 17 absorbs inward axial loading. A typical C Lock includes a heavy annular lock ring 19 received in an annular groove 21 formed on the inboard end of a corresponding axle shaft 16. In the fully assembled configuration (FIG. 3), annular lock ring 19 is further received in an annular recess 23 formed in an end face of a corresponding differential gear 15. During normal operations, inward axial loading has a higher magnitude than outward axial loading due to vehicle dynamics during cornering. When outward axial load on axle shaft 16 occurs, axle shaft 16 attempts to move outwardly from axle tube 12, which causes annular lock ring 19 of the corresponding C Lock 18 to push on the corresponding differential side gear 15. Ultimately, the outward axial load is dispersed through differential carrier bearings 24 to housing 25 of the differential, as shown in FIG. 4.
When inward axial loading is generated from vehicle cornering, an end face 27 of axle shaft 16 thrusts against differential cross shaft 20, as best seen in FIG. 2. In turn, the inward axial loading is transmitted through differential carrier bearings 24, as shown in FIG. 4.
The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods.